February 14th
by f.f. lindy
Summary: A valentine's Day they won't forget


Title: February 14th  
  
Author: f.f. lindy  
  
Date: 1/25/03  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own them. I just like to pretend they are my puppets.  
  
Feedback: Printed, hung up, smiled at daily at vmf2004115@yahoo.com  
  
Archiving: Please oh please, and if you do please let me know. I'll visit it.  
  
Author's notes: I wrote this last valentine's day after my friend told me she was going to wear black to boycott the stupid holiday. It's been sitting in the file cabinet in my room for a year and I wanted to share it with you.  
  
Thank you: Farley's Conversation Hearts for all the sugar that makes me happy and the author of "Conversation Hearts" a fic that I read a long time ago in some hidden corner of the net that gave me the inspiration for the candy and Christina who has a valentine this year, and will wear red.  
  
It was February 14, a cold Friday, nothing more to me. I had no man to shower me in flowers and chocolates, no valentine. I got up and went to work, just like any other day, wearing little golden heart earrings and a very pale pink blouse in honor of the happy people in the world.  
  
I walked into my musty basement office, feeling slightly melancholy. Mulder was already sitting at his desk, feet up, reclined slightly in his chair. "Happy Valentines Day Scully," he said carefully. He held a box of Necco conversation hearts, popping them one by one into his mouth. He grinned.  
  
"Same to you," I forced a small, weak, smile. I sat down at my desk.  
  
"What's wrong?" He asked, immediately recognizing my mood.  
  
"Nothing, Mulder, I'm f--"  
  
"Don't say it," he cut me off.  
  
I smirked at him and turned back to my computer, pushing the button to start it up.  
  
"Come on, cheer up, it's Valentines Day." I ignored him again, debating if I should sit quietly or snap at him to make him leave me alone. He stood up and walked over to where I was sitting. He set a candy heart in my hand. I brought it up the read it before responding. SMILE was spelled out in little red letters. I grinned and put it in my mouth then looked up at him. "Thanks," I said meekly.  
  
"I'm gonna get some coffee. Do you want some?"  
  
"That'd be great." He left the office. I leaned back, still savoring the sweet message in my mouth. I realized I hadn't eaten a candy heart in ages.  
  
By the time Mulder returned I was working on a case report due that afternoon. I had finished over half of it the previous day and only had about an hour of work left. Mulder set a cup of coffee on my desk, prepared just the way he knows I like it; next to it was a candy that said "U R CUTE." I sighed a little as I picked up the coffee and took a sip. He sat back down and went back to doing nothing.  
  
I didn't pay a lot of attention to him as I finished the report and e- mailed it to skinner. When I was done I looked back over at him. He was facing his computer, typing something, having abandoned the now empty box of candy. "Mulder, are you working?" I asked, quite surprised.  
  
"Don't sound so shocked."  
  
"What are you doing?" I asked. His face squinted the way it did when he was thinking quickly. "Uh, I'm writing that case report."  
  
"Really?" I played along but stood up and walked closer.  
  
"Yeah, Skinner wants it by 5."  
  
I smiled to myself, amazed that he would try to pull it by me. "How's it going?" I was almost directly behind him.  
  
"I'm done!" he said too quickly, then closed the window on his computer rapidly. "That's interesting considering I just finished it and sent it to Skinner." I grabbed as fast as I could for his mouse and tried to retrieve the document.  
  
"No!" he tried to stop me by grabbing my wrist.  
  
"What are you doing?" Why can't I read it?" I squealed, my face now bright with excitement. I continued to click with my other hand.  
  
"Nothing," he took my heft hand as well and rolled his chair away from the desk, pulling me onto his lap.  
  
I let out a tiny yell of delight, chuckling at his protectiveness. "What are you writing?" I giggled and squirmed to break his grasp. It didn't work; he wrapped his legs around mine and held my upper body tightly in his arms. He rolled the chair across the room and back to my area. Not wanting to drop the topic I wiggled more and tried to will the chair back to his desk.  
  
"I wouldn't keep doing that if I were you," he smiled coyly.  
  
"I wanna know," I kept thrashing.  
  
"I warned you," he began to tickle me. I laughed harder.  
  
"Stop!" I yelped between gasps for air and uncontrollable laughter. We wrestled in the chair until I fell off and crawled towards his desk. He dove right in on top of me, still tickling me. Moments later we heard shoes clunking towards to office. He hopped up and helped me to my feet. We straightened ourselves and sat back in our seats.  
  
As if on cue there was a brief knock before Skinner entered. I tried to suppress the laughter bubbling inside me. "Thank you for being so prompt in getting this to me, Agent Scully." He had the report in his hands. "I was just coming by to see if you two had enough to keep you occupied this afternoon, and to let you know that, because it is Valentines Day, if you run out of work to do and want to take off a little early, it's fine. I wouldn't want you to be late for a hot date for anything."  
  
Mulder and I smiled and thanked him. He left shortly and left us in the silence of our office. "So, do you have a big date tonight?" He asked.  
  
"Yeah right Mulder. I have a date with a sappy old movie and a glass of wine." "So that's why you were depressed?"  
  
"I'll be fine," I responded. I looked down into my nearly empty cup of coffee. "I'm ready for a second cup," I sighed. "Do you want any?"  
  
"No thanks." He smiled and I left. As I walked away I heard him start typing again. I took my time getting my coffee, hoping I could trick him and show up unannounced. Unfortunately, when I came back he was sitting just as he was when I first walked in that morning.  
  
"Didn't you already finish that candy?" I asked.  
  
"I brought extras," he smiled. I sighed and shook my head then sat down. I assumed whatever the document had been was now long gone, and let Mulder's secret writing be. I went back to work; he started playing solitaire.  
  
At one, when I opted for lunch Mulder insisted he wanted to win a game then he'd join me. "I'll see you after lunch Mulder," I left.  
  
Just as I expected I was able to buy and eat my salad at the cafeteria, with no sign of Mulder. I waited around for a while, assuming he would come so I wouldn't have to be stuck eating lunch all alone on Valentine's Day. After about an hour I headed back towards the basement.  
  
When I reached our office, Mulder wasn't there. I figured he had gone for lunch and walked to my desk. There sat a rose and a letter. Next to the neatly typewritten letter was a candy heart. 4 U, I ate it and opened the letter, expecting an excuse as to why he was gone.  
  
Gorgeous,  
  
All our hours of work, stored neatly in a chest. Every sheet represents a step we took on the trip to where we are now. Go take a look. Take a moment and find what I'm directing you to. You'll find it under the way you look to me.  
  
Love,  
  
Me  
  
I was very confused. Never had I received an excuse so vague and confusing. I picked up the rose and smelled it. Unable to hide my curiosity I walked over to a file cabinet. Studying the note once more I opened the drawer that held "G." Sure enough, a red rose was sticking out of a file labeled "Gorgeous."  
  
I smiled and opened it to find another note. This one led me to the corner of the courtyard. One by one I found these roses, notes and candy hearts, leading me from one destination to another. Eventually I was directed to my apartment, by this time utterly amazed at the huge gesture. At my kitchen table I found my sixth rose, a candy that said PLEASE, and another note.  
  
Gorgeous,  
  
You've made it this far; please don't give up on me now. In your closet is the perfect dress just waiting for a special reason to be worn. Let me be that reason at 6:30. La Playa, downtown.  
  
Love,  
  
Me  
  
I looked at my watch; it was almost 3 o'clock. I sighed, not really knowing what I would do with myself. I couldn't believe that Mulder had done all this. I hadn't been out on a date on Valentine's Day in years. I had to somehow kill 3 and a half hours, and I didn't know how. I tried watching TV, but ended up wondering how long he'd been planning all this. Then I tried reading but was somehow distracted by questions as to what all this meant. Feeling like a love struck teenager, smitten over a cute guy, I gave in and let myself start going through every dress I had at four thirty. Eventually, I found just the right one and then went to take a shower.  
  
By six o'clock I was in my dress, had my make up, my jewelry, and my shoes on, and was ready to go. I put on my favorite perfume, the good stuff I saved for special occasions. That was when I realized that I hadn't gotten him anything, or done anything for him to show my appreciation.  
  
On my way out to dinner I stopped at Walgreen's and bought a bag of sunflower seeds and a card. On the inside I wrote:  
  
To the only one could ever make me believe in love (and aliens)  
  
Love,  
  
Me  
  
When I walked into the restaurant he was standing there, in the lobby, him most handsome suit and a dozen red roses. I saw his eyes widen as I walked in in my short red dress, one I hadn't worn in quite a while. I walked over to him smiling, quite pleased with myself, as he grinned in that charming way he always could.  
  
"Happy Valentine's Day," he said, handing me the roses.  
  
"You too." I beamed, unable to believe that just 12 hours before I had been disgusted with the holiday. He took my arm and led me to the hostess podium.  
  
"Reservations for Mulder," he said.  
  
"Party of 2?" she confirmed. He nodded. "Right this way." She led us to our table where Mulder seated me, helped me with my sweater, then sat down.  
  
I still didn't know what to say to him. It was as if he knew what I was thinking, and didn't need me to say it at all, unless I wanted to. "I don't know how to say thank you enough, Mulder. That, this, all of it, it's amazing. I've never been treated so special before." "You are that special, Dana. You deserve the best treatment."  
  
I felt my heart melt, not wanting to admit that he had this much influence on me, but unable to tell my heart what to do. I reached into my purse and got out the card and the sunflower seeds. I handed them to him.  
  
He smiled "A Valentine, for me?"  
  
"It's the least I could to after everything you've done for me today."  
  
He opened the card and read it. "Thank you," was all he could say. He reached across the table and took my hand. I'd always loved the way my hand fit in his. "You're beautiful." He said, gazing at me. I blushed and my eyes fell downward. "Don't hide that pretty face. Look at me."  
  
I let my eyes travel until they met his. "What did I do right to deserve all this?" I asked. "I couldn't survive another Valentine's Day without telling you how I feel," he said softly, "I love you."  
  
I felt my eyes fill with tears. "I love you too," I chocked out.  
  
He reached across the table and wiped stray tears form my cheeks. "You have no idea how long I've waited to hear you say that."  
  
"As long as I've been waiting to say it," I said just above a whisper.  
  
When we finished our meal I regretted taking separate cars and feared I would miss my goodnight kiss due to the fact that he wouldn't be driving me home. God I wanted to kiss those lips. I didn't want to miss my chance at a kiss so as we stood to leave I suggested that he come to my apartment for coffee. He agreed readily.  
  
"I cannot believe that I just went out on a date with Fox Mulder," I said as I made coffee for us at home.  
  
"I can't believe that you didn't throw anything at me when I told you I love you." He kidded.  
  
I carried the hot coffee out to the living room where he sat, my roses in a vase on the coffee table. I handed him his cup then sat down closer to him that I normally would have. He noticed this and set an arm around my shoulders so comfortably you would think he'd been doing it forever. I tingled at his touch, in disbelief that I would ever be graced by his embrace just because.  
  
We drank our coffee and talked, not about work or aliens, just talked like friends, or rather, like lovers. I had just finished a story and he was gazing at me. I felt a shiver as he moved towards me and gently pulled me into him. Then he softly whispered, "You're irresistible." I gave into his strong arms. My lips touched his and parted slightly. We shared a long passionate kiss and when we broke apart I stared in amazement.  
  
"Mulder, we have to ta-" he pulled my mouth back to his, forcing me to stop talking before I could make him discuss our relationship. I gave into his delicious lips and stopped my struggle for a conversation. We unlatched our lips and I smiled shyly at him. "Or we could do that," I sighed  
  
"I don't think there's anything more to say. I love you."  
  
"And I love you." I responded before instituting another kiss. After what could only be defined as a make-out session, we made our way to my bedroom. I couldn't help but think about how I'd been worried I wouldn't get a kiss goodnight.  
  
When morning came I found myself enveloped in Mulder's strong embrace, his warm body pressed against mine. I turned to a look at him and saw that he was already awake. He smiled back at me timidly, his brow sunken. "I guess we have to talk now," he said guiltily.  
  
I mirrored his guilty expression and sunk down deeper into the covers. I nodded my head, "I guess so."  
  
"So." he chewed on his lower lip and searched for the words. Suddenly we were both very aware of our nudity. He unraveled me from his arms and we found separate sides of my bed. We both let our gaze drift aimlessly as we sat in the silence. "I don't know how we're going to talk through it now. but, that was great."  
  
I smiled, "Yeah, it was." I tried to put on a serious voice, "But it was- wrong. We-we-we can't just. you know, without even.I mean."  
  
He looked at me with a sober face that broke out into a huge grin moments later. "We really didn't have a reason not to, did we?" I shook my head. "And it was really good." He smiled.  
  
I laughed, "I love you Mulder."  
  
"I love you too Scully," he pulled me back into his arms and gave me a kiss.  
  
"Thank you for the best Valentine's Day of my life." I said as our lips parted.  
  
"Thank you for the best of mine." 


End file.
